


The cure for inanimatum

by kv_panda_red



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pinning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-09
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-11-12 05:12:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11154951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kv_panda_red/pseuds/kv_panda_red
Summary: What happens when you don't have your soulmate?





	The cure for inanimatum

**Author's Note:**

> **translations at the bottom

"I remember the day it happened. It was, sadly, the day of our six-year anniversary. I was getting some roses for Shane. It was our thing, red roses. I went into my usual flower shop, you know, where my friend Bella works and asked for her reddest roses. As Bella gave me the roses, almost everything turned black and white again. Except brown, the color of his eyes. I panicked like I'd never panicked before. I told Bella, well, more like yelled at Bella. 'I can't see color! I can't see fucking color!' I screamed. She went over to help me and try to calm me down, when she did she told me to explain what happened. I told her and then it clicked; something happened to Shane. I called him, Bella called him, some random costumer that came in called him for us; but no avail. I started calling various people: Feli, Mathew-even Ludwig and Gilbert for god's sake- but once again no avail. I went home; he wasn't there. I went to his parents' house; he wasn't there. I even went to the restaurant we had reserved to see if he was there, but again, no avail. After about an hour of running around looking for him, I got the call from the hospital. They told he was involved in a drunk driving car crash, not to mention: a hit and run. I went to the hospital as fast as I could, tears rushing down my face. I got there and told me that he was in fatal condition and he wasn't going to make it. I went to his room and prayed my little heart out. They gave me his possessions, fully accepting he wasn't going to make it; which made me so mad. Amongst his possessions was a little black box with a diamond ring. That just made me cry more. I put on the ring, tears still streaming down my face, I took his cold hand and whispered; 'I do.' Just as the line went flat and doctors came rushing in. I couldn't even see brown anymore. That's also why I wear this ring," Lovino lifted up his hand and showed it to all the co-workers crowded up all around him.

"Wow, it's so beautiful." Said one of the co-workers.

"Can I take a picture I want to show it to my boyfriend!"

"That's such a sad story! I'm sorry about what happened, Lovino."

"I bet you miss color so much!"

"No, I'm pretty sure he misses his boyfriend, Cristina."

And so they went on. Same thing every time he told his tragic love story. He hated being pitied but if he knew someone else in his position, he would pity them too. I mean, losing your soulmate at the age of twenty-one after knowing them for six years? Loving them unconditionally for six years? On the night of your anniversary? So suddenly? Not to mention after having your first kiss with them, your first apartment, your first everything? Who the hell wouldn't be heartbroken? It took Lovino two years to even get the courage and motivation to get a job. Luckily, his friends and family helped him no matter what. Now, he'd been working in Francis' restaurant for two months now, everyone loved him there. It felt great to be out and about again. Though there were always moments of sadness, like this. People knew soon enough he didn't have a soulmate, since he could barely distinguish coke from sprite, but they had been wondering why he wore an engagement ring. Today, someone finally got the courage to ask him. He felt numb all over again.

"Hey, why isn't there anybody waiting the tables?" Francis poked his head through the kitchen.

"Sorry, Francis, Lovino was just telling us the story about his ring!" Francis looked at Lovino with a concerned look. They had been friends since Arthur, Alfred and him got together. He was good friends with Arthur and sometimes was forced to tag along when the poly boyfriends were hanging out or to go on a double date...or triple date?

"Lovino, do you need to go home?" asked Francis said going inside the kitchen, getting closer to Lovino.

"No, it's fine. I'm fine. It's been two years Francis. I am going to take a break though. I'm fine, I just need a minute."

"Ok, but if you feel like leavin- "

"I said I'm fine." Then Lovino walked off to the break room.

After his break, Francis still insisted he go home, but Lovino insisted also. He was about to assist a table when Francis called him over.

"Hey, Lovino, my good friend Antonio is coming here to become a chef. He graduated top in his culinary school last year and the knucklehead just realized I have a restaurant. So, I need you to show him around. Plus, you might have a few things in common." Then Francis left.

"Ok..." Lovino tried to say before he left but Francis left immediately.

Lovino went over to the front door and waited for somebody to arrive, since Francis didn't quite describe him he just had to go by assuming who Antonio might be. Soon enough a man with curly-ish hair and a bright smile came in.

"Hola~! Are you Lovino? Francis told me to look for a grumpy looking Italian, which seems to be a fitting description of you."

"Yeah, whatever. You must be Antonio."

"That's true."

"Well, I'm supposed to show your around, I guess." Lovino started walking and Antonio fell a little behind. "The break room is over there, there's a bathroom in there in case you have basic human needs, the kitchen," he walked into the kitchen and accidentally let the door slam on Antonio's face. Though Lovino didn't even notice. "if you need to know where something in specific is ask Mathew, he's the head chef and he's nice. Actually, little tip don't interrupt him while he's making pancakes or poutine, if he's doing either ask Elizabeta." Lovino turned around to face Antonio, "Got it?" Antonio took a second to process everything.

"Yeah, I got it."

"Francis' office is next to the breakroom, if you need any further questions answered."

"Actually, I'm pretty sure Francis can't answer the question I have."

"What is that?"

"Who's the lucky person who gave you that ring?" Lovino looked down at his ring. It was almost as if his whole life with Shane flashed before his eyes. His eyes started watering a bit. He turned around and started taking off his apron.

"All questions go to Francis." Lovino said. He took a deep breath. "Ask Francis." He hung up his apron and took his phone out. "Tell him I decided to end the day." Lovino practically ran off.

"But-" Antonio started but was too late. "Weird." Antonio then went off to Francis' office.

"Hello, mon ami, how are you?"

"I'm good, just confused."

"Why?"

"I don't know, but when I asked Lovino about his ring he ran off. He told me to tell you he was ending the day." Francis went from happy to pure panic in his face.

"What?"

"He left."

"Oh god, excuse me, I have to make sure he's ok." Francis left.

Antonio was left in a state of confusion. All he could do is imagine how lucky the person must be to have Lovino as a fiancé. I mean, when Antonio walked in to the restaurant he thought; 'Maybe he's the one. My soulmate. He's so cute, I hope he's my soulmate! I can finally prove those Doctors wrong.' But soon enough he saw the ring and let his hopes die. See, Antonio was prescribed with 'inanimatum' a condition that just means he was born without a soulmate. The thing is, at the age of twenty-five, he has 0% to 0.1% chance of meeting his soulmate. You have the 99% chance of meeting your soulmate between the ages 15 and 24, if you don't meet your soulmate by the age of 24 you have to visit a doctor to see if they will prescribe you with inanimatum. It's a very rare condition but it's probably the most feared thing by human beings. There's only been one record in history of someone meeting their soulmate after the age of 24.

Though Antonio had hope. I mean if Francis had two soulmates he should at least have one, right? Ever since he turned 24 he's been in some kind of state of jealousy towards Francis. He thought it just wasn't fair that Francis had two soulmates and he might end up having none. That's why he delayed asking Francis for a job so long. He decided to finally ask him since he was about to end up homeless, but if it weren't for that he would still be jobless. Francis finally came in again.

"Sorry about that. Lovino brought up his soulmate issue this morning and somehow he stayed strong. I was surprised. I mean he was two years without going out of his apartment. I guess after you mentioned it again he couldn't stay strong anymore."

"What?"

"Oh, right. You don't know. Lovino was the first to meet his soulmate out of all of the people I've met. He met his soulmate at his 15th birthday. He was out at the movies and Shane, his soulmate, was there too. They bumped into each other and, as Lovino described it, he saw everything at once, everything was so much more beautiful. They started dating soon afterward and then six years later, on the day they met, on Lovino's birthday; Shane was in a drunk driving incident. He didn't make it. The doctors found the ring in Shane's suit and they gave it to Lovino. He never lets out of his sight. Poor kid doesn't even really know what it looks like. I mean now he sees black and white again. It's such a beautiful ring. The colors Shane chose..." Francis finished and all Antonio could do was stay quiet. He didn't know what to say.

"I know, it's hard to believe such a tragic story. But it happened to our poor little ange. They were so in love too. I'm pretty sure they were more in love than me, Arthur and Alfred. Lovino has always been a grump, kind of like Arthur, but when he was with Shane he was so happy."

"I-I can't... I don't know what to say."

"I think you should go."

"What? I just got here!"

"No, no, I mean go try to make it up to him. Get him chocolates or flowers or something and say sorry."

"Oh, yeah. Good point."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

Antonio then went to pick out some flowers from a flower shop, that coincidentally happened to be Bella's shop. He went in and asked for the most vibrant purple hyacinths. They symbolize 'I am sorry'.

He left with the beautiful bouquet and went to his apartment. On the way there he contemplated what to say to Lovino when he went to apologize. Well, he started thinking about it but, once one of his favorite songs 'Tú no eres para mí' came on he just started jamming out to his playlist. He got to his apartment around two thirty and ended up and ended up watching a few movies. Then he ended up going to sleep. So, when he got to the restaurant the next morning with his little bouquet of flowers, he spotted Lovino and went directly to him. He tapped Lovino's shoulder and Lovino turned around.

"Oh, hi..."

"Hi. Look," Antonio looked down. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't know about the whole soulmate issue..." Antonio handed Lovino the bouquet. "They're purple hyacinths. They symbolize, like, I'm sorry."

"Thank- "

"I mean I think they're purple. I wouldn't know since I don't see color yet."

"Well, than- "

"Then again the lady looked really nice. I doubt she'd give me the wrong flowers."

"Tha- "

"Actually I think at some point I knew her when I was littl- "

"Shut the fuck up and let me talk."

"What?"

"You're ranting, idiota."

"Oh, sorry."

"Well, thank you. I accept your apology. Besides its totally fine. You didn't know." Lovino said fidgeting a bit with the bouquet. There was a bit of an awkward silence.

"I'm gonna go put this in the break room..." Lovino said, signaling to the bouquet.

"Yeah, cool, I'm gonna... go do my job." Antonio said, slowly stepping over to the kitchen.

"Yeah. Good idea." Lovino said doing the same towards the break room.

"Yeah..." then Antonio left in a speed walk and Lovino copied his action.

After that awkward interaction, for some reason, Antonio really wanted to get to know Lovino. It almost felt as if they could connect over the fact that they didn't have soulmates. Though technically Lovino did have a soulmate but he didn't anymore, so in Antonio's book they had that in common. Not to mention, Lovino was super cute. So, during their lunch break Antonio planned to go eat with him but sadly the Italian was always prepared and had brought his own lunch. So he planned to invite Lovino for dinner. Not a date...obviously. But like take him to a Taco Bell. And so, he awkwardly approached Lovino before his shift ended.

"Hey, Lovino." Lovino was busy cleaning up a table that had been left in shambles.

"How may I help you?"

"I was wondering if you would like to go to like a Taco Bell or something. Cause I know you said you forgave me but I still feel really guilty."

"Oh, Antonio. I thought you were- never mind. Sure. That'd be nice. As long as we don't go to a fucking Sbarro it's an embarrassment." Lovino turned around after finishing up with the table. "You don't have to feel guilty," Lovino started walking off to the kitchen and Antonio followed. "What happened was that earlier in the day I had to talk about him. And, I don't know why, but when you asked it just triggered me."

"Well, that makes sense. When people mention inanimatum I get kind of triggered. Or even when people mention soulmates." Lovino froze and Antonio bumped right into him.

"You have inanimatum?"

"Well, yeah. I'm 25 and as you already know I can't see color."

"I'm sorry. It must be hard." Lovino turned around whilst saying this.

"Not really. It's kind of sad but it must be harder for you. I mean you actually got to meet them and bond with them. I never will." Antonio said, and for the first time since Lovino met him, he wasn't smiling.

"How about we go to that Taco Bell?" Lovino turned back around.

"Yeah!" Lovino and Antonio went into the kitchen left their aprons and signed off. Lovino got the flowers and they left in Antonio's car. Lovino didn't have a car, I mean for the last two years he hadn't left his apartment; why would he have a car? They went to a Taco Bell and actually got to know each other. They Antonio left satisfied. He dropped off Lovino at his apartment.

Lovino, tired as hell, walked right pass the roses he always had at the entrance. He had them in memory of Shane. He put his keys in the table they were at. Then he went to get some water, but then he froze. There was something different... Did someone break in? Did he get robbed? He looked all over his apartment but found that everything was intact. He retraced his stepped, to double check. Then, it hit him. The flowers. The roses. Their stem was a vibrant green. And he could see it! He couldn't believe it. There had to be something wrong.

The next day at work he bumped right into Antonio.

"Sorr—Your eyes." Lovino said in awe.

"No, your eyes." Antonio said, also in awe.

"What?"

"They're hazel."

"Your eyes are green."

**Author's Note:**

> translations:
> 
> "mon ami"- French= my friend
> 
> "idiota" -Italian= idiot


End file.
